


Digimon Hunters

by orphan_account



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M, Multi, Other, Slow Burn, digimon AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-11 17:51:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2077470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Kdin had gotten the game, he couldn't wait to play it. He almost even left work early just to get a few hours more with it. Instead, he dragged himself through the day and it was all the more rewarding when he loaded up the first American made Digimon game for the first time. He fell in love with the game within a few minutes of actual working game play- and then the love turned to mistrust the moment he saw a human he knew in a world they shouldn't be in. (Digimon AU!)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - Kdin Just Wanted A Digimon Game

Kdin just had to make it through one more hour and he could go home. One more hour and he could be on his couch, pulling plastic off, and cooling off under his fully functional air conditioner. (There’d been something weird about the one at Studio 5 lately- it wasn’t broken but it was still only slightly cooler inside than out in the Texas heat.) Every few minutes his eyes would drag back down to the clock on the right hand corner of his desk top. They’d linger there for only a moment before he’d return to actually getting work done. Or attempting to, but honestly it was hard to pay attention because he was so close.

10 minutes left, Geoff told him to save shit and shut down. He obeyed without really listening, Gathering his belongings barely took any time either- he’d been ready to go since the moment Caleb had given him that package. All Kdin had wanted to do all day was go home and play the damn thing. 5 minutes left and he was saying good bye to the gents and lads- they were going to some con. Car pooling together- it had to be still within state then. He wasn’t really paying attention and he was sure he’d hear about it later anyways.

He’s not certain if he even said goodbye to the rest of Team Thugs before he’d taken off. Nor does he really remember the trip home. None of that is important because now he’s home and he can finally tear it open. Carefully, he takes the case out of his bag and runs his fingers across the raised letters of the title- Digital Monsters- before a small grin claims his face. It fades quickly, however, when he’s forced to struggle with the plastic wrap that can never just come off smoothly. Seriously, who the fuck decided new games needed this shit? They were a horrible person and should be gobbled by a dragon immediately.

When he’d finally managed to get the offensive plastic off, he paused for a moment and just took in the cover. He owned a Digimon game! One that wasn’t some terrible racing game or that weird nonfighting game that hadn’t made any sense. Kdin hurried to play it only to remember that consoles? Televisions? They kind of had to be on for them to work. With that settled he’d sat and waited for the game to load up. 20 minutes gone and worried his disc was hurt in some way, he’d stood up only to hear the music of the opening finally playing. Worries forgotten he’d grabbed the controller and pressed start immediately, getting comfortable again.

The loading times weren’t as bad as the first one, at least. After a short wait there was a man who walked with a choppy animation cycle to the middle of the screen. The man was older, with glasses that made him seem well read and eyes that seemed to study him. Not that the man could- it was only a game, after all. Only a game, he repeated to himself when the man asked for his name.

“Well, asshole, I can’t pronounce that so I’m just going to ignore it.”

What? That didn’t seem anything like the Gennai that had helped Tai and the young digidestined with their adventures. Kdin had thought it was just the producers of the game trying to market towards a younger audience when the man first appeared on screen but now…Now he was worried. Frowning slightly, he pressed on anyways- the man seemed friendly enough just not the usual friendship levels of Digimon. With the game’s directions, he picked out his first Digital Partner- a little being that introduced itself as Botamon with a glint of life in it’s eyes.

For the first night, he’d spent hours immersing himself. Feeding Botamon, telling the digimon jokes it couldn’t hear, fighting other digimon they ran into- but never deleting. Kdin couldn’t delete, destroy, download, whatever you called it, a digimon. It felt like murder to even think of it. So he’d let Botamon get experience from just sparring with them for a bit. He loved the game. So much so he almost didn’t sleep at all.

The second night, something weird happened. The loading time was shorter but the man showed up before he even hit start. He didn’t say anything, only waited until Kdin actually prompted the game. When the background changed, the man told him that he needed to pick a few more Digital Partners. That they wouldn’t be his, but rather for friends who would fight alongside him.

Delighted and anxious at the idea of AI, he ended up picking 8 digimon that didn’t look like they’d completely ruin his game if they went astray. Then the man had waved and they’d disappeared, leaving only Botamon. The small digimon had greeted him, stumbling over the lack of vowels only slightly. Kdin smiled at it anyways and let himself be lost to the world once again.

The third night was when everything went wrong. The game had loaded fine. The man had left him alone. It’d been just him and Botamon playing with a little Agumon when he’d seen it. At first, he thought it was just his imagination. There were no humans in the Digital world- just the AI man and Digital Monsters. But he’d followed the flash of color that hadn’t matched the rest and found himself staring at something that couldn’t be true.

A floating dragon digimon head butted at a man that couldn’t have been there. It rambled on and on to him, completely ignoring Botamon who was only a bit behind him. Kdin, however, dropped his controller and stood up. He turned away from the screen, rubbed his eyes, and told himself that he just needed sleep. That he’d been playing for far too long because this could not be happening. When he turned back, though, the man was still there. Kdin watched in silent horror as arms covered in tattoos tried to push the digital dragon away, and though the lips moved he couldn’t hear a word- they weren’t close enough- but he knew what “fuck off” looked like. Frightened, he went to turn his game off but hesitated- he couldn’t turn it off, just in case. Worried about something he was sure was a hallucination from overworking himself, he went to bed.

It didn’t do him any good. In the morning the human was still there- but now it was talking with the digital one. His head hurt and he sat down, staring at his screen and trying to figure out what to do. Botamon was what broke him out of his own head.

“Hey! Kuhdine boss! This Jeff guy is here to help us!” The monster called, and Kdin felt like the world was going to drop out beneath him as the human moved towards Botamon, and then looked at out like he could see Kdin. They stared at each other for two minutes before Botamon started to worry, rambling out things that didn’t make any sense about Hunters, Destined, and Helping.

So Kdin ignored his partner and let out the only thing he could- a tiny, confused, “Geoff?”

Unfortunately, he received no response. So he took Botamon and moved closer- but that didn’t do anything either, just got the tiny dragon to twirl around Geoff’s head like he was protecting the man. He had to be hallucinating right? Geoff was with his idiots on a trip. Safely at a hotel, or out celebrating with con goers. They were fine. And in the real world. Kdin had clearly just played the game too long. Yeah, that had to be it. That was all. He just didn’t turn off the console because he knew he was going to be back and play it immediately. It wasn’t because he was afraid of what would happen to Geoff if he turned off. The electricity bill was going to suck if he kept this up but he didn’t have the heart to turn it off.

Especially not after he’d got to work and run into a worried Lindsay- the rest of Achievement Hunter had never made it to their hotel.


	2. In Which Geoff Doesn't Know What To Think

This wasn’t fucking happening. It wasn’t possible, wasn’t real, and nothing about it was right. That was what Geoff had decided the moment was faced with a small monster butting it’s head against his already aching one while he was trying to put together what exactly had happened. All he remembered was a bright white flash of light that had pulled him out of the driver’s seat- oh god. Was everyone okay? Had they made it out? If he wasn’t in the driver’s seat but they were still in the car were they even alive?

He hoped so, and he muttered under his breath that this was not allowed to be hell. Even if it seemed like some sort of it when the creature just would not stop. Eventually Geoff gave up and got up, proclaiming his hatred towards the thing. It’d gotten a sad look in it’s eyes before it almost seemed more determined- and Geoff had to bite back a comment about it being like Gavin because Gavin wasn’t here. If he was lucky, Gavin was alive with the rest of them and they were checking into their hotel.

The thought was chased from his mind when pain replaced it- the little fucker just would not give up! It just kept going- rambling on and on about shit Geoff refused to listen to while there was a throbbing in his head. He tried to figure out what to do, where to go, when he was approached by a man. Holding back a sigh in relief, Geoff was ready to face anything that didn’t attack him.

“What’s your name?” The man asked, his voice oddly clipped. It almost sounded recorded.

“Geoff Ramsey, and you are?” He replied a hand rubbing at his head when he really should have been polite and offered a handshake.

“Here to help. You’re not dead, first off, and you need to stop fucking pushing him away.”

“What?”

“Stop pushing him away. He’s your partner.”

“Partner.”

“Yeah. Do you not speak English?”

“I speak English. It’s just unlikely that something that was attacking me since the moment I fucking arrived is my partner.”

“Well. He is. And here, this was supposed to be given to you but your little dragon friend knocked it away.” The man held out a small device that Geoff eyed suspiciously.

“Why would I trust you and take it?”

“Because I didn’t headbutt you?”

“Eh, that’s as good a reason as any.” When their hands touched a spark ran up Geoff’s arm. Not the I-Got-A-Crush-And-We-Touched-Spark, but a harmful electric kind that left him feeling like he’d been staring at static. “What are you?”

“Go find your friends, Hunter. You will need all of them.”

With the man gone, Geoff stared at the electronic in his hand. It fit easily within his palm and had a tiny screen, one that lit up when he tried to get a closer look. Startled he drew away from it only to find himself face to face with a small, floating, menace. They stared each other down for a moment before Geoff turned- there was something there. Or someone. Whomever or whatever it was, it was watching them. Geoff walked towards the feeling slowly, waiting for something to pounce. Nothing happened. Instead he reached a small black thing that looked as if it’d come out of a used barbeque. Frowning, he’d stared out at the land, trying to gauge where the feeling was coming from when a voice spoke up.

“Don’t leave me behind. We’re partners. We’re supposed to stick together! Please don’t go. I waited so long to meet you!” It was that annoyance again and Geoff hated himself as he stopped to wait for it to catch up. “I knew you wouldn’t leave me behind! Right buddy?”

“Sure. Buddy. What are you anyways?” Geoff asked, readying himself to duck if the thing decided to charge again.

“A digimon, of course! Didn’t you listen to me?” The thing sighed and frowned before coming to a stop, placing itself as close to Geoff’s face as it could without touching him.

“A digimon?”

“You should listen when people speak to you. Digimon! Digital Monsters! I’m BabyDMon- your partner. You’re my Digidestined- my hunter- and I’ve been waiting my whole life for you. I knew you would come and now you have so everything’s going to be awesome because we’re together now!”

“That’s creepy as dicks, buddy.”

“You’re here to help us. We’re in trouble.”

“I don’t think I can help.”

“You can! Well, I can and you can help me!”

“So, where am I exactly?”

“In a forest. Duh.”

“No- I mean where are we? This doesn’t look like Texas- it doesn’t even look like America-”

“What’s America?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake.”

“Must be something in your world. This is the Digital World!”

“Digital World?”

“Yeah. What’d Leader tell you?”

“Leader?”

“Leader! He gave you the Digivice.”

“What’s a Digivice?”

“Do they not teach the DigiDestined anything?” The monster- no, BabyDmon it’d said it was called- tapped the small electronic. “It’s part of our connection- and proof that not only are you my partner you’re Digidestined!”

“Maybe he just gave it to me by mistake.”

“Leader would never. Now tell me what did he want you to do? We gotta start somewhere, right?”

“He just said ‘Go find your friends’.”

“Friends? We’re going to have more friends? Do you think we’ll be together for a long time? Do you think they’ll like me? I hope they like me- especially if you like them. Buddy’s my first and best friend though, special connection and- hey, not again at least tell me you’re moving!”

Ignoring the cries of indignation, Geoff marched on. He couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him, so he faked interest in the new device he’d been handed. What did a Digivice do? What good was it? What the hell was a DigiDestined? Why had “Leader”called him Hunter? Did his phone work here? Actually, that was a great idea why hadn’t he tried his phone earlier? He pulled it out of his pocket while BabyDmon rambled on about something he wasn’t listening to. It wouldn’t turn on. In fact, after a few tries the screen had gone static and he’d nearly dropped it. Time to give up on an easy way to find out if the others had made it out okay.

Putting his phone away, he drew his attention to a small light coming from his palm. The Digivice had turned on and it had a small dot on it’s screen. He stopped, so did the dot, but three little arches kept fading in and out above it. Okay, so maybe it was some kind of radar. Made no sense, but at least they wouldn’t be completely lost in whatever this was. (Geoff was still voting on Hell.) He started walking again, the little blue dot started moving again. This was the worst radar ever, he could see something just in the trees and it didn’t show up on the damn thing. Frowning, he tried to find a way to turn it off when a yellow dot popped up at the top and the device started to beep.

Sweet baby Jesus in a cradle full of bees there had better be a way to mute the damn thing. It only got louder if he tried to avoid the new dot, so he walked straight to it. Thankfully the beeping died down as it got closer. BabyDmon even stopped talking- instead the digimon rested on his shoulder and almost seemed to try to hide in his hair. Geoff bit his tongue and held back a comment about how the thing had been the one who had seemed so excited to make new friends anyways. When the digimon buries itself closer and nearly cuts his head though, he opens his mouth. The scolding words don’t come because the yellow dot is right in front of them. Or, more accurately, the person who represents the yellow dot is there.

“Jack?” Geoff’s voice doesn’t break, doesn’t go up an octave, and whether or not there’s disbelief in it is really no one’s business.

“Geoff? Geoff!” Jack smiles and steps towards him, bringing him into a tight embrace as a laugh escapes him. “You made it out. God damn I am so glad to see you.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay. Where’s everyone?” Geoff relaxes as the two of them separate, eyeing the forest around them.

“It’s just Jackie and me!” A pink creature chimed in, from just behind Jack’s shoulder. “Hi! I’m MarineAngemon! I’m Jackie’s partner!”

“MarineAngemon? Is everyone named somethingmon?”

“No, that’d be silly. We’re all Digimon, but there’s no Somethingmon!”

“Oh good.” Geoff stares at Jack before nudging the digimon on his own shoulder. When it doesn’t move he rolls his eyes. “Well I’m Geoff, and this is BabyDickmon.”

“Deemon! I’m BabyDmon!” The Digimon protests, floating forwards. The two creatures greet before rambling on to each other about meeting their partners and destinies. Geoff just watches them for a moment before he turns back to Jack.

“Just you and pinkie?”

“Yeah. I thought I saw Ray for a bit, but it turned out to just be a little Tanemon.” Jack answers, frowning. “What happened to us? Do you know what’s going on Geoff?”

“All I know is that some asshole handed me this thing,” He holds up the Digivice, “told me that the dragon dick was my partner, and that I needed all of my friends.”

“There’s more humans here?”

“I don’t think so. Whatever he was, I don’t think it was human at all.”

“Do you think the others are here?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t even know if I want them to be though. This all seems like some sort of bad trap, and I can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching me.”

“There are lots of tiny Digimon running around. I nearly stepped on a Botamon by accident earlier.”

“What the fuck is a Botamon?”

“It’s a little black thing.”

“Ohhh I think I may have seen that.”

“So, what do you think we should do? I tried my phone and I can’t get anything to work.”

“Is it turning on?”

“Yeah. I’m forever stuck staring at a picture of Joel.”

“Why Joel?”

“He took my phone just before we left and gave me a wall paper picture of him looking like a smug ass to remember him by.”

“Nice.”

“He thinks so.”

“My phone doesn’t turn on. Just goes static.”

“Well fuck. I was hoping you’d had more luck.”

“I think that for now we need to find the others. We can worry about what’s going on after that.”

“Alright. Any idea where to start?”

“None.”

“How’d you find me?”

“There’s a little radar on the Digivice. You popped up on it as a yellow dot.”

“So what we just…Wander off?”

“Pretty much.”

“We’re boned.”

“Yup. Glad to have you with me Jack.” Geoff waved over their floating monsters and carefully did not say anything about how MarineAngemon was pink, with a collar, and a heart on it’s chest. Quietly he thanked BabyDmon for at least looking a little badass. The four of them started walking- there was a path that seemed like someone had trampled down grass and they might as well start there. Even as they left, Geoff found himself looking over his shoulder. He was certain someone was there. If he squinted he could swear he was facing a man.

The shadow found them before they even had a chance to try to shake it. It wasn’t human, Geoff could tell that much. Humans aren’t made of black leather, after all. Nor did they have wings that looked like they’d been dragged through a fucking paper shredder. He had to put out an arm to stop Jack from moving forward and asking the thing if it was hurt. BabyDmon and MarineAngemon both had moved closer to their partners- whatever this thing was it wasn’t friendly.

How did arms like that even work? They were so long and ended in what Geoff could only assume were claws. Oh god, was that blood on one of them? Nope this thing was not friendly and they needed to leave immediately. He pushed Jack back slightly and thanked any deity he could think of when the man got the hint and started to turn around.

The creature was on them within moments. They’d only made it two steps before it’s bloodied clawed hand had wrapped around Geoff’s middle and picked him up. Oh good, this just kept getting better and better. Fucking hell he hated his life. Struggling did nothing but make the creature laugh, but there was no way Geoff was just going to let himself get…kidnapped? Killed? Who knew, who cared. Either way it wasn’t something he wanted.

He was surprised when BabyDmon yelled “Hot Steam!” and then watched as a gas flew out from the tiny dragon’s mouth. It didn’t seem to do much to the bigger creature but his partner wouldn’t give up. Well, shit, if Geoff made it out of this he was going to treat it better. Or at least give it a chance- it’d tried to help. BabyDmon just kept trying until a small pink heart floated up and hit the claw he was in. Geoff wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry at the ridiculousness of it but he didn’t get a chance to do either- the creature hissed in pain and he was falling.

A heart. A fucking heart had saved him from peril. He couldn’t even tell where it came from until the pink digimon had come to see if he was okay when the ground hit him. Sore and bruised, he flipped it off only to have another heart come after him. It’d come from MarineAngemon’s mouth. Wonderful. Now he was saved, healed, and protected by cartoon hearts regurgitated from what looked like a baby’s stuffed animal. Assured he was safe, MarineAngemon went to switch places with BabyDmon and let out a barage of hearts against the towering creep.

“Buddy! Buddy I’m so sorry. I don’t know how to digivolve yet but when I do I’ll burn Devimon into the ground. Are you really okay? Do you need some help up?” BabyDmon rambled and Geoff just shook his head, slowly getting to his feet and dusting himself off.

“Devimon?” He asked.

“Devimon! He’s a Champion level digimon with a bad temper and a virus- he’s what grabbed you. I’m only In-Training right now. Not even rookie! So my attacks don’t do much against him.”

“But Angelmon’s over there do?”

“MarineAngemon is a Mega level! Usually he doesn’t like to fight but you were in trouble. I want to help him but I can’t do anything!”

“We’ll figure it out buddy. I’m sure you can help him someday.”

“You really think so?”

“Sure. What’s Mega level?”

“It’s the highest level that you can digivolve to without special help!”

“Highest level? You’re telling me that little thing is one of the most powerful digimon?”

“Yeah! Look! He drove Devimon away!”

“Holy shit I’m hallucinating.” Geoff rubbed at his eyes as he watched Devimon fly away with a hiss, wincing away from MarineAngemon. There was no way that this little thing had actually fucking won right? Right? Jack was congratulating his partner and yelling at Devimon to stay the fuck away. Geoff didn’t know what to think. His head hurt and he could really use a nap. A nice long one- on a comfortable couch with a warm blanket. Or a cuddle buddy. Either one worked.

Before he could think about where to get either, MarineAngemon begun to glow and change forms. Because this whole thing wasn’t confusing enough. Now, where MarineAngemon had floated, was a small white creature with huge red eyes. It was almost cute. Geoff was the one to catch it when it closed it’s eyes. Apparently he wasn’t the only one tired.

“So MarineAngemon needs to sleep.” He said quietly, turning to Jack.

“We probably should too. It’s getting dark and I’m not sure how safe it is to be exhausted here.” The other man answered.

“Any ideas?”

“Well we ran into a hollow tree earlier. Think that might work?”

“Yeah. As long as we’re not out in the open. Here, take your partner.”

“C’mon MarineAngemon we’re going to go nap.”

“Pichimon.” BabyDmon said quietly.

“What?”

“MarineAngemon got exhausted from all the fighting and lost the energy to stay digivolved. So he de-digivolved to Pichimon!”

“I swear to god if I’m just having a bad pokemon dream because of Ray…” Jack trailed off.

“Not Pokemon, Digimon remember?” Geoff teased.

The tree was surprisingly and thankfully to fit them all comfortably as long as Geoff and Jack sat with their backs supported against the bark. Didn’t make it any less odd to be inside a tree though. Especially one that had no hole- they’d just walked through the bark like it wasn’t there. Was that normal? Would they run into that a lot here in the Digital world? He tried to put his mind to rest, curling an arm protectively around the Digimon asleep in his lap. BabyDmon was a little badass and Geoff was going to take care of the little thing for as long as he could. He wondered if he’d feel bad leaving it behind when they found a way back to the real world.

Geoff couldn’t sleep, almost afraid he’d wake up to find this was all a dream to escape from a fate much worse.


	3. Ray Just Wants To Wake Up

Ray just couldn’t get away from this fucking thing. It was chasing him down and all he wanted to do was get away to a safe place where he could maybe find out where the fuck the car had gone. Though he doubted he’d find it. This was just a dream after all, and not the first time he’d had one like this either. Play enough video games and they really get into your head.

Except he can’t remember ever playing anything with Digimon in it.

He knew of them, sure, but he was always more of a Pokemon fan. Place him with Snorlax and everything’s good. That big guy doesn’t even care if you’d rather spend some quality time asleep instead of doing the leveling you should be doing to evolve your eevee. This weird plant thing just wasn’t getting the hint that he wanted to be alone. Wasn’t an understanding bro like Snorlax was.

Ray ran, trampling plants as he went without worry. This wasn’t the real world, this was a dream and they’d be fine. Nothing was going to die just because he stepped on it. And he kept that in mind when he nearly tripped over a little black ball with ears. Vines whipped passed his head and he kept running- whatever was chasing him was getting upset because those things were going too fast to be friendly. He just needs to keep running and he’ll be safe. Keep running, don’t look back, and don’t think about it.

It’s just a dream, he tells himself. It’s just a dream. Just a dream when a flying horror takes to the skies to avoid hearts. Just a dream when a mouse tries to speak to him. Or maybe it was a rat? Who knew- it had a slime friend and he was not planning on keeping either of them company. Just a dream when a beetle shocked him. At least that’d made the plant thing stop chasing him and pay attention to the beetle instead. With the sun down and no way to navigate the forest full of danger, he sat down and let himself relax. With any luck he’d be waking up any minute now.

He didn’t remember falling asleep but when he woke up he wasn’t back in the car with the boys- he was still in the horrible forest. Okay, so it was going to be one of those dreams. Usually those involved a lot more death and quite a few guns by now though. Ray would have loved to have a gun in his hand when the plant horror was standing in front of him and waved with one hand-like apendage- the other one was out and used to trap him to the tree. Wait, was it smiling? Could plants even smile? Maybe in Plants VS Zombies- oh! That was an idea. Could be a dream about that- except he hadn’t seen a single zombie and his own body was still very human looking.

“Will you stop running away now? I’m not here to hurt you!” The plant sounded frustrated.

“Yeah because vines going the speed of light don’t hurt anyone.” Ray muttered under his breath.

“I just wanted to catch up to you. You’re finally here…”

“And?”

“Well, you’re my partner! At least, I think you are.”

“You think?”

“Leader said that my partner would be the one with the red Digivice.”

“I don’t have anything like that.”

“That’s because I have it! But it came with you so it’s got to be yours. Right?”

“Nope.”

“Well I’m giving it to you. I would know if you weren’t my Digidestined!”

“I have a name.”

“That’s good! I don’t think I could keep calling you Digidestined every time. I’m Palmon.”

“Guess you’re going to be my Pal for this adventure then?” Ray wondered if Barbara would have been proud of him. “I’m Ray.”

“Promise to stop running away from me Ray?”

“I promise. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Leader said our partners might act like a punch of…What did he say? Scared Gatomons? Something like that.”

“Partners?”

“Yeah! Oh right, I need to tell you. Ray, we’re going to be a part of a special group! We’re the Digidestined and we’re the Digital World’s only hope. But we’re not alone and if we can discover the secret to digivolving, we can win.”

“I guess it’s not just experience points then, huh?”

“Experience points?”

“Nevermind. Listen, Palmon, do you know who the rest of the group is? Or where they are?”

“Nope!”

“Wonderful.” With a sigh, Ray stood up as the vines finally freed him. Even in his multiplayer game dreams there was never anyone else actually there with him. He doubted they’d ever find the rest of the “Digidestined” or whatever you wanted to call them- they’d just be annoying characters he’d hear endlessly about. “Alright, what do you want to do?”

Palmon didn’t answer, only tossed something at Ray. He barely managed to catch it before it hit his glasses, and the moment he did it lit up. This was the Digivice then- it was even red like Palmon had said it would be- and it looked like it belonged in the days of the Tamagotchi. Ray spent a full minute waiting for a small pixel pet to appear before he realized that if it was some Tamagotchi product- Palmon was probably the pet. He distracted himself with that thought, wondering if he’d have to feed and water it. What did you even feed a plant monster? Was he going to have to find manure because fuck that, dream or not he wasn’t touching the stuff.

Before he had the chance to ask, however, the screen changed and three dots appeared. A red that matched the device- probably him then- was at the bottom. At the top, clustered together, blue and yellow dots blinked as the device beeped. This dream needed a seizure warning badly. He tried walking away from them first, worried that it was an enemy radar, but the device only screeched louder and made Palmon complain. So he following it to a tree.

He tried to walk past the tree but the dots stayed. Great, not only was it annoying, it was broken! Staring at the tree, Ray hoped there was an actual storyline to this dream and wondered why even in his dreams technical difficulties seem unavoidable. (If he closed his eyes he could almost hear the fucking music they’d have to edit in.) There was nothing here but more jungle. Trees to his left, trees to his right. Behind him was Palmon and a smaller monster, but it seemed friendly so Ray ignored it.

“Well, Palmon, looks like my Digivice needs to evolve.” Ray joked, waving it in the air.

“Digivices can’t Digivolve…Can they?” Palmon looked genuinely confused and Ray almost felt bad.Almost.

“Not that I know. But there’s nothing here.”

“So what do we do?”

“I’d say we wander aimlessly until we find another NPC with a side quest but this doesn’t seem like that type of game.”

“Game?”

“Ahh, nevermind. Do you know if this thing has a mute button?”

“Yeah, it’s right next to Gavin’s.” A third voice chimed in.

“Did you hear that, Palmon?”

“Yeah. Is this a part of that game, Ray? Because I’m not good at guessing voices.” Digimon and Digidestined both jumped back when a hand appeared out of the tree, and Ray almost laughed when Palmon moved to protect him from it.

“Give me a second, I’m trying not to step on Geoff or either of our digimon.” The voice called again, and another hand joined the first.

“No it’s all good. Take your time.” Ray took another few steps back- the only humans he ever ran into during these dreams were enemies. He had no idea how to fight with the mechanics of this world. The time he could have spent learning that he’d been running away from Palmon- not exactly his idea of the best tutorial but at least he learned something: He couldn’t rest with monsters nearby.

“Ray! I’m so glad I wasn’t just hearing things.” A body joined the arms and then Ray found himself face to face with one Jack Pattillo.

“You were in a tree.”

“What?”

“How the hell are you in a tree?”

“I don’t know. MarineAngemon- er. Pichimon, actually, and I found it yesterday. Figured it was better than sleeping in the open.”

“Yeah, forests ground really gives you a sore back.”

“I’m glad to see you’re safe..I’m guessing this is your partner?”

“That’s what I’m told. Jack, Palmon. Palmon, this is a beard.”

“I swear to God Jack if you left me alone with two Digimon that are entirely too capable of puppy dog eyes so you could take a piss, I will fucking ha-oh. Hey Ray.” Geoff said as he stepped out of the tree with two small creatures- one in either arm- that were surprisingly still asleep.

“So did I miss the wedding or did you two just get more kids?”Ray relaxed slightly but something about the situation just screamed wrong at him. Ignoring it, he smiled as Jack flustered and Geoff rolled his eyes.

“We got hitched just before we fucked in the tree right in front of the two newest mistakes.”

“Damn, Jack promised I could be flower girl.”

“You can be flower girl at my next wedding.”

“Ooo, going poly? Kinky.”

“What’s poly?” Palmon chimed in.

“It means that you like more that one person.”

“Like how I like you Ray, but I also like Leader?”

“Nope. Not like that. Definitely not like that at all. Much different. Different type of like.” Ray rambled and tried to correct himself as Jack laughed.

“Hey, Ray?” The bearded man asked, taking the digimon on the left from Geoff.

“Yeah?”

“Have you seen anyone else?”

“No.”

“Fuck. I was hoping you’d at least seen another lad. Still got your phone?”

“Nope, it was on my back pocket and I landed on my ass. Screen’s cracked.”

“God damnit! At least you found us. Maybe the other three will find us too. If we’re here and safe, I hope they are too.”

“Yeah. Safe.” Geoff scoffed, holding his digimon a little tighter. “We should get moving. When BabyDmon wakes up it’s going to be nothing but noise for the next several hours.”

“Well, lead the way then.” Ray made a sweeping gesture with his arm and laughed as Palmon tried to copy it. At least those thorn hands weren’t after him anymore. Not that it served as a great distraction- as soon as they started walking Ray let himself start to think. He’d never had human allies in these nights and now not only were they human, they were his coworkers. Not exactly subtle from the subconscious part of his mind. (Though if it’d work with him a little more and maybe find a way to get Geoff to remove his shirt, that’d be great.)

The forest seemed to stretch on for miles and as they walked they discovered that all of their Digimon seemed pretty serious about the Digidestined thing, their Digivices wouldn’t light up if they asked it to, and Ray found out something even more disturbing. Jack and Geoff were convinced they’d been plucked from the car. Was this going to turn into a nightmare? Would there be more terrifying monsters that would tear these people apart in front of him? He really hoped not. Those dreams were the worst and Tina could only deal with so many texts asking if she was still okay at 3 in the morning. At least when he sent them to Dan it was slightly more time appropriate.

The problem with thinking was that it let his guard down. He was too trusting around the other Achievement Hunters- while he’d been lost in thought they’d been chatting up Palmon. He forced himself to pay attention, noticing something he’d later wish he had never thought about. Geoff kept checking over his shoulder like a paranoid old man. He’d never look directly at Ray, but a few steps behind him, and it was always a searching stare that didn’t give the Puerto Rican any fluffy feelings. Just the alert that they weren’t safe. They couldn’t be safe or Geoff would be laughing along with Jack and the little white digimon.

When they stopped for the night, Ray rested under a tree with Palmon close and ignored the way his stomach ached. They would need to find food and water soon or they’d have trouble. Or, at least, they’d feel trouble. Ray relaxed knowing that at least they wouldn’t die of starvation or dehydration- even in his nightmares it was always a gruesome, violent death for his friends. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually felt hungry or thirsty in a dream.

On the bright side, he could officially say he’d slept with Geoff and Jack-now if he could only get a certain three to join them. (And make it a little less innocent, but that was just a hopeless wish.)

Third day with still no sign of waking up or finding anyone else was starting to make him nervous. Hell, Ray hadn’t even run into any opposition. Or heard about any, though Geoff and Jack both seemed to darken at the mention of anything with black wings. The story dreams didn’t go like this. He’d already be in action by now, saving lives and completing quests. Never being the hero though, always more of the essential NPC. Less stress that way. Even as that though, he’d found at least one enemy. Here?

Here the worst he’d run into was a small white digimon that squirted bubbles onto his glasses when he’d accidentally spooked it. The others kept saying that Digimon were everywhere but he didn’t see them. Didn’t notice them. It was making him more anxious than he thought a peaceful game dream would ever make him, and his fingers ached to have a familiar trigger under them. Even a bat would make him feel so much better. Instead all he had was a broken phone, a new piece of useless technology, and a “Digimon Partner”. Something was horribly wrong, but Ray couldn’t figure out why. Why there were humans. Why it was Digimon. Why he didn’t have a gun. Why he didn’t have a clear quest. Why all Palmon would speak of was being destined to help Leader. Why Geoff and Jack seemed to accept it so easily.

Why there was a huge fucking parrot thing heading straight for them.


	4. Why Won't Anyone Listen?

Lindsay brushed him off. She told him that he was spending too much time with his game and just needed to get more sleep. That the boys were out there somewhere, safe and sound, just lost. They had to be just lost. Kdin could agree with that- they were lost. Lost in the Digital World. Lost to the real world forever unless he could get someone to believe him and help him find a way for them to get out. Before Apocalymon found them. Or MaloMyotismon. Both were on the back cover of the game, shown off as some of the big bosses.  


He had to get to them soon. Botamon had been following Geoff for a while, but they could only do so much. The game wouldn’t even let him interfere with the fight against Devimon. He just had to sit and watch as Geoff was nearly taken. As MarineAngemon used all of it’s energy to fight something that should have been defeated by it.  
That was bothering him too.  


As a Mega level digimon, MarineAngemon should have easily been able to defeat Devimon. Maybe the link it had with Jack made it weaker? If so, Jack was in much more trouble than the rest right now. There was no in between stages between MarineAngemon and Pichimon. There was no Digivolving past MarineAngemon either. By picking it, Kdin had given Jack a huge disadvantage and something that could very likely cost them both.  


If Jack’s data was deleted, it would be all Kdin’s fault.  


Though, that stood for all of them. The three he’d found and the other three he hadn’t yet. If he hadn’t played the game, they would be at their hotel. They’d be safe, enjoying a con and a plethora of excited fans. Plus great panels, cosplayers, concerts….They’d be having fun. Instead, they were stuck in a dangerous world where Kdin couldn’t even help them.  


By the fifth night, he was ready to tear out his hair. Or run at full speed into his TV screen and hope that it’d take him to the Digital World so he could do something.  
Barbara didn’t believe him either. She said he’d been spending too much time with the game and needed to take a break. Maybe play Minecraft instead. She told him that they’d find them, and he just needed to relax. Kdin couldn’t do a thing to change her mind, and knew he’d lost any chance of her listening when she’d started to pun. She clearly thought he was joking, or trying to play a prank. He wasn’t.  


Kara wouldn’t even acknowledge the theory, just sent him back to the office with a package for the missing Ryan. He placed it down on the man’s desk without a word, standing within a practically deserted room. Six desks lined the walls, but no one was in them. None of their monitors were turned on either- though he could see that Ray had left his computer on and Gavin had left his Xbox on.  


The microphones were perfectly lined up, with cords lying straight next to each other without being tangled. The bookshelf was full of alphabetized games without a single out of place. There was a Leafeon plush, a King Julien plush, and a Creeper plush all squished together in a corner under Geoff’s desk. The place looked like the Achievement Hunters had been missing for weeks instead of just a few days. It gave Kdin the creeps and only made him feel more determined to bring them home. The men needed to be here to bring life to an otherwise empty place.  


The sixth night since he started playing, he left Ray, Geoff, and Jack in the forest. They had each other, they’d be safe, and he couldn’t do a thing for them anyways. What he could do was go find the other three and then bring them together. At least with all six of them they’d stand more of a chance. Not as big as a chance if they at least had someone who knew what was going on, but he couldn’t fix that. Nor could he give them hope, especially when he was starting to lose it himself.  


As he begun to search for the other three he knew to be within the world, the math bothered him. The AI had Kdin pick 9 digimon over all. His, and then 8 more later. Yet, only 7 had partners. Why only them? What would happen to the other two? Were there supposed to be extras? Somehow, that didn’t feel right. There had to be something else that they were missing. There just had to be.  


He was so caught up in trying to figure out what would happen to the two unpaired digimon that he didn’t realized they’d passed by something important until Botamon started yelling at him. Though when he went back, all they found was a knocked out Terriormon. The poor Digimon looked like it had been through a rough few fights, and Kdin wished he could pick it up. But touching the screen just left fingerprints on his TV and a pain in his heart. He felt so helpless, having to watch everyone suffer.  
Though, to be honest, he was more frightened than anything else. What if he failed? What if he couldn’t get the Achievement Hunters back? What if he couldn’t get to them before one of them got deleted? Could they get deleted? He really hoped not. Having them lost in the digital world forever was one thing. Having them lost to both worlds was a completely different thing that he was not prepared to deal with at all.  


“Boss! I think whatever he was fighting is coming.” Botamon warned, turned towards the small town a few yards away.  


“Botamon, do you want to try Digivolving again? We need to protect this one.” His voice was louder than he had to be and he berated himself for responding at all. The Digimon couldn’t hear hi-  


“We’ll protect him. I think we can really do it this time, Boss!”  


“Oh.” How had Botamon heard him? How had he known to respond that way? There hadn’t been a usual text box or guide text...How had the Digimon known? It had to be just concidence right?  


“Ready when you are, but be ready soon. They’re coming fast!”  


“Do it Botamon!” He hit the right bumper on his controller and the small maroon digivice in the left corner of the screen lit up.  


“Botamon digivolve to…” Kdin watched, wondering which digivolution chart his partner would follow. He grinned when a red bandana appeared- this was even better than he thought. “Impmon!”  


“Impmon, you did it!”  


“We did it, Boss! Now look, I can pick the little bugger up.” Impmon tossed Terriormon into the air with a laugh. “I could do this all day, Boss! Do you think I could juggle three of them? I bet I could!”  


“Put him down.” A half mechanical voice called, and Kdin turned his attention to the new arrival.  


“Oh no, it’s Andromon- the Ultimate level machine! I’m so scared.” Impmon laughed and threw Terriormon up in the air once more. “What business is it a yours if I pick him up?”  


“This Digimon saved me. I promised his partner I would return with him safely while he distracted Greymon. You will return him to me or I will be forced to eliminate you.”  


“Partner?” Kdin muttered, eyes wide.  


“Who’s his partner?” Impmon inquired, holding Terriormon close and leaning back on his heels to see over the digimon’s head.  


“I am not authorized to share that information. But if you keep him you will be a bug in the program that is this world’s only hope.” Andromon stated evenly.  


“Another Digidestined? Boss! Boss I think we need to go with him. What do you think?”  


“Definitely, but be careful. You’re no match for a Greymon.” Kdin carefully started after Impmon, but Andromon seemed to pay him no mind.  


“Okay you hunk a metal, here’s the deal. We’re coming with. We need to meet this partner a his, it may be a missin friend of ours. If it makes you feel better, you can even be the one to carry lil’ Terror here.” With a bit of awkward effort, Impmon tossed the unconcious Digimon to Andromon. It seemed to have the right effect, because Andromon did not oppose them following him. Nor did he really speak the entire way there. In fact, Kdin had just been starting to get suspicious when he heard an all too familiar voice scream.  


There was only one person he’d ever met who could scream nonsense that loud and that high. Gavin was alright. Well, he was in the Digital world, without his partner, and on the run from Greymon but at least now they knew where he was. At the very least they were on the way to help him in whatever small way they could. The plan was to have Impmon slip by Greymon and give Gavin Terriormon so he could just run.  


The plan didn’t work because Gavin ran straight at them with Nova Blasts at his heels.  


Now they were all running. Away from the town, away from the desert, and back towards the forest. They didn’t have the power to fight Greymon- only Andromon stood a shot and he wasn’t exactly the best to put up against intense heat. Plus any time he stood near Impmon, the android seemed to get little shocks to his system. So they ran until they were deep in the cover of thick trees, and then stood waiting for any sign that they were still being followed.  


As they waited, Kdin tried to check to make sure Gavin was okay.  


The only problem was that he couldn’t communicate with the brit. Yelling at his screen led nowhere, asking Impmon to say things led nowhere, and purposely walking into him did nothing. Kdin had no effect. It was like he wasn’t even there- and he might as well not be there was no point for him to be there. In his frustration he threw his controller across the couch and covered his face with a cushion. After a moment he took his glasses off from under the cushion and tossed them blindly on the coffee table. He trusted Impmon to get Gavin back to the collection without him.  


After all, the only thing he was good for was letting his partner digivolve.  


This situation was getting more and more frustrating by the day but there was nothing Kdin could do but keep trying anyways. He wasn’t going to give up, he just couldn’t. The next two nights passed without anything really spectacular. He checked on the Digital World but didn’t play the game, ignoring the way Impmon would seem to scream after him each time he left the room. Or how his house would get a few degrees warmer each time. How the lights would flicker, and yet the TV never had a single problem.  
He needed help because he couldn’t handle this.  


On the seventh day since he turned on the game, Kdin went to Burnie. He cared about his employees more than anyone else at the company and even if he didn’t believe, he’d listen. Let the Achievement Hunter ramble until he’d gotten everything out and not make him feel like he was crazy. The moment he brought up Digimon, however, Burnie kicked him out. Told him to go home and get some sleep. To take care of himself better. That he could tell Burnie all about it tomorrow. Kdin didn’t think anything of it. Just let himself be sent home with protests against it, ignoring a worried Caleb as he stomped out.  


Giving in to Impmon was all he could do in the end. There were still two others to be found, information to discover, and a mystery to solve. Kdin promised himself that he’d get them back. He tried to promise them too but they couldn’t hear him- talking to himself was getting old fast. They didn’t find Ryan or Michael. They managed to keep track of where Gavin, Geoff, Jack, and Ray were going but the boys almost never noticed Impmon. He needed to search further away from them, but he was terrified that if he wandered too far he’d never find them again. They gave it one last sweep and Kdin almost gave up when he saw a flash of red from the corner of his eye. Maybe Michael was nearby- the lighting was pretty bad after all.  


Impmon rushed over to where he’d seen it, but all they found was a PawnChessMon who refused to talk to them. It’d stutter out that it would only listen to his King, but stumbled over the word as if it wasn’t sure it was the right thing to say. They left the lost thing alone and went back to watching over the group for the night- the forests could be extremely dangerous and everyone looked exhausted. Even Impmon looked like he’d been in a fight recently- but he refused to explain why. Kdin trusted his partner and went to bed for the night, letting everything slip away from his mind for a good few minutes.  


Almost two weeks from when he first turned on the game, Lindsay asked him just where he’d said the boys were with a pale distraught face.


	5. Knight's Pawn to B9

The first time she’d dreamt of the weird world, she’d spaced out at work and when her eyes focused again she was on a black square. Right in the corner of it. Behind her was a white one and she could see a tall something behind her- it almost looked like a horse but Lindsay wasn’t going to get closer until she knew what was going on. In front of her was a much smaller being. It was looking to her like it was waiting for her guidance, but she wasn’t even sure what it was. Looking around didn’t help much, on either side were more smaller black beings that came to her hip and in front of her was a stretch of black and white tiles too long to see across.  
Staring at the being on her square, she couldn’t help but notice that it looked an awful lot like a pawn…A chessboard. They were standing on a giant fucking chessboard. Even worse, the pawns around her seemed to be looking for her to guidance. Chess was not her game. Yet, as the closest pawn stared at her- and wasn’t that a surprise in itself a piece staring back at her- she eventually gave in. What was the worse that could happen if she lost a game of chess in a dream?  
Lindsay never got an answer to her question because Michael had shaken her shoulder and asked her if she was ready to get her ass handed to her in Versus today. Nodding, she’d tried her best to shake off the feeling that she’d missed something important and got to work. After all, she shouldn’t have dozed off in the first place so she didn’t get to think about whatever that world was until after everything was done.  
The second time, she’d been on a white square on the opposite side of the board, and behind her she could see a path that stretched out into the desert. A black pawn was next to her again, but she couldn’t be sure it was the same one. It felt like it was the same one, but she had no proof other than a feeling in her gut. The pawn kept staring at her, so she turned away from it to look at the path. Where did the desert lead? What else was here? Why was there a desert behind a giant chessboard? Curiously, she stepped off the white square onto the path and squinted to try to see past the sun.  
“We can’t leave the board!” A voice called from behind her, shocking her.  
“What?” Lindsay turned around, finding nothing but the pawn standing at the very edge of the square.  
“We get in trouble if we leave the board. Quickly get back on before the King sees you- or worse, the Queen!”  
“I am not going to get in trouble.”  
“But I will!”  
“Why will you get in trouble if I leave?”  
“Because you’re my partner and we’re supposed to stick together. I think? I don’t know. You just can’t leave. Please don’t leave, sir.”  
“Sir?”  
“Aren’t you a knight?”  
“No…”  
“Oh. Then you must be a bishop! You’re very tall, after all.”  
“I am not a bishop either, little dude.”  
“You’re too big to be a pawn and too small to be a rook though!”  
“I’m not those either.”Frowning, Lindsay debated with herself for a minute. Clearly this thing knew more about this world than she did and going on her own could be dangerous- but it wasn’t going to just leave the chessboard either. “Let me be honest with you- I’m not a chess piece at all.”  
“But you’re always on my square.”  
“Yeah. I don’t know why. You called me your partner though, so maybe you do?”  
“Maybe. A thing calling itself Leader approached the board one day and he told me that one day I’d get a partner. He said they’d look different than anything I’d ever seen before but it was important that we stick together.”  
“So you listened?”  
“The King said I should keep it in mind. I can not disobey my King.”  
“Well, aren’t you disobeying if you let me wander off alone then?”  
“But I’m not supposed to leave the board.”  
“Did he tell you that?”  
“Not in those words-”  
“Then it’ll be fine! We’ll go together.”  
“I can’t go without a King!”  
“Then I’ll be your new King.”  
“You can do that?” It was odd, she had to admit, to be able to see awe within a pawn.  
“Why not? I’m your King, or Queen. Whatever you want to call me.” She smiled as the pawn finally nodded and stepped off the board. Good. Going alone was something she’d rather avoid. Even if this was a daydream something just seemed...Off. They made it a good few feet away before the pawn tripped over God knows what and she woke up again.  
After the boys went missing, the daydreams increased. Every time she closed her eyes, Lindsay was roaming a world unlike anything she’d ever seen with a pawn of all things. The pawn actually turned out to be good to have at her side- it was pretty good at fighting for such a little thing. It felt like it took forever to make it to the edge of what looked like a forest by the end of the desert. The trees were huge and it almost looked like they were painted- the colors on them were so bright. Her pawn pulled her aside and handed her something.  
“Partner-...Uh. Queen? King?” It said, quietly.  
“Yeah?” Lindsay stared down at the device in her hand. She could swear she’d seen something like this before…  
“Leader said I should give that to you. And properly introduce myself. I’m PawnChessMon. This is the digital world and you are a Digidestined. I think. I’m sorry I can’t remember what he said, King. Queen.”  
“Digidestined?” She stared at the black device, knowing the answer was right in front of her.  
“Uh..Yes. Digidestined. Partnered with a Digimon- that’s, er, me. I guess.”  
“Digimon.”Her voice tripped over the word as everything came crashing down. She was in the Digital World. As in, the world that was full of Digimon. The one that Kdin kept saying the boys had gone to. Wake up. She had to wake up because this wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. Lindsay just needed a bit more sleep, surely. This was all just because she was worried about her friends and coworkers. Had to be.  
Except they’d started before they’d even left so they couldn’t be.  
Kdin confirmed it for her- Digital World. He’d seen them in the Digital World. Lindsay didn’t know how to tell him that she’d been having dreams of the place. Or how to explain she’d been wandering it aimlessly with a fucking pawn of all things. But she didn’t have to because he pointed to her belt- the Digivice was clipped on the belt loop of her jeans. Oh God. Michael, Ryan, Geoff, Jack, Ray, and Gavin were all trapped in a world that had proven to be dangerous and she had no idea how to get them out. After a shaky conversation, she made Kdin promise to show her that they were okay. They just had to make it to his house after work.  
Lindsay didn’t make it until after work. She doesn’t remember dozing but it doesn’t matter because PawnChessMon is there and she’s definitely in the digital world. But they’re not alone and it sets her on edge. Whoever is talking to PawnChessMon calls her over but she stands her ground and waves her partner? Her very own digimon? back to her. It comes without a second thought and the man groans frustratedly before hurrying over to them.  
“Seriously you couldn’t just fucking walk the extra ten steps? I’m not here to hurt you or some shit.” The man complained.  
“Sure you aren’t. What do you want?” Lindsay asked, placing a comforting hand on PawnChessMon.  
“I want you to listen to me. This world needs your help- Gods know it needs all the DigiDestined’s help because it’s falling apart.”  
“What do you mean falling apart?”  
“I mean some very nasty assholes are tearing apart the source code.”  
“Digimon can do that?”  
“Virus types, like your little friend here, thrive on causing trouble and destroying things.”  
“So you want me to fix it? How?”  
“The Digidestined hold a special power. You fuckers have to figure that out on your own though, I can’t tell you.”  
“Fuck you. You can’t tell me that I need to do something so big and then not tell me how to do it.”  
“I don’t have a choice. Don’t you think I would tell you if I could so this could be over so much faster?”  
“No.”  
“Whatever, believe what you want. Just follow me. You can’t join them yet.”  
“What?”  
“The others, you can’t join them yet.”  
“Why the fuck not?”  
“There’s something you need to find first. It’s very important and it will help.”  
“And let me guess you can’t tell me what it is either?”  
“I was about to if you’d let me fucking talk.”  
“Fuck this. PawnChessMon, let’s go. We need to find the boys and get them home.”  
“Just how do you plan to get them home? How do you plan to tear them away from the Digimon that are keeping them safe and away from the world that they have to help save when you don’t even know how you got here yourself?”  
“I’m sure I’ll figure something out. Go away, douchebag.”  
“King! Er. Queen! That’s Leader!!! You can’t call him that!!”PawnChessMon looked very distressed.  
“She can call me what she wants but it won’t change that neither of you can help the rest of the digidestined yet.” Leader replied, crossing his arms.  
“Please, Queen. Please I want to go with him! I want to learn how to be as strong as Queens and Kings like you are!”  
“Fuck.” She blew a shaky breath out between barely parted lips and frowned at Leader. PawnChessMon trusted him, and it had trusted her to lead it. She owed it at least this. “Fine. Fine! But if anything even starts to seem sketchy, we’re leaving.”  
Following the man into a portal, Lindsay didn’t hear her name being called by a small Lopmon in a larger man’s arms.


	6. 4/6 is not what he was hoping for

Jack remembers the crash. He remembers being unable to close his eyes against the bright lights, wondering if this was the end for them. He remembers thinking that at least he would die with the boys, and feeling guilty for thinking such. He remembers watching as a new world formed around them- watching as the men he’d been traveling with each started to disappear. Grabbing Michael’s arm didn’t do shit, it just left a scratch down his forearm. Ryan grabbed him by the back of his shirt but it didn’t keep them together either. Protesting with no words, Jack watched as they were all torn from him until he was alone. He was kept surrounded by swirling colours of light for what felt like ages before they finally let him go, placing him in some forest with a device he had no idea how to use and a small pink thing he’d nearly fallen on.  
The pink floating bunny thing introduced itself as his new partner, and for lack of a better being to guide him here, he accepted MarineAngeMon without much fuss. Especially when it scared away a DemiDeviMon that was trying to attack them. Okay, so the ‘Digital World’ or whatever his Digimon had called it, definitely wasn’t safe- even worse, all of his boys were out there probably on their own somewhere. Or, as he soon found out, they could be hunting him down and have picked up an adorable minidragon. Plus a leather covered stalker. Fun. The Digital World was so much fun.  
It was even more fun with Ray found them and they had to face off against ParrotMon and he couldn’t do shit because neither he or Pichimon knew how to trigger a digivolution. Instead he watched as Ray’s digimon- Palmon- nearly exhausted itself before a thing that introduced itself as Impmon came to help. They drove the bird away but did not defeat it. Exhausted, they tried to press on somewhere safer and no one brought up the fact that Impmon stayed with them.  
Gavin running into them was both a blessing and a curse. It meant he was safe, he had his partner who appeared to be just as exhausted as the rest of them, but it also meant that he and BabyDMon would talk until none of them could sleep. Let alone the fact he had apparently been being chased by a fucking dinosaur. Because huge parrots, leather wearing stalkers, pink heart covered superpowerful bullshit things weren’t enough. No, there were motherfucking dinosaurs. Jack hoped they’d find Ryan and Michael soon. Clearly they needed to be all together to even stand a chance.  
“Gav, does your phone work?” Jack asked as they settled in for the night.  
“I don’t have it.” Gavin replied quietly, looking straight at his digivice.  
“Why not?”  
“I asked Ryan to fix it. It was bugging out.”  
“Fuck.”  
“Why don’t you just use your phone?”  
“No one’s phone works, Vav.” Ray chimed in, keeping his attention on Palmon. “Mine’s broken, Geoff’s is fucked, Jack’s just lets you stare at Joel for hours...We’ve got no way to know if everyone else is here.”  
“Sure they are!”  
“What?”  
“I saw Michael earlier! He didn’t hear me, and then that smegging monster came after us and Andromon, but I’m sure it was him.”  
“You saw Michael and you didn’t think to..Oh, I don’t know...Tell us?”  
“You didn’t ask.”  
“Oh my god, you’re a giant dick. You are the knight of dicks. Thank you, Sir Dick, protector of all things douchey, for lettings us know you saw Michael while we’ve been struggling to even keep track of each other!”  
“Wow Ray.”  
“Shut up and tell me where you saw him, we need to go get him.”  
“We need to find a working phone.” Geoff cut in, frowning. “We’ve been missing for at least 3 days, Burnie’s probably freaking the fuck out.”  
“Michael’s phone might be working! Besides, these monsters keep saying to find our friends or whatever right?”  
“Yeah?”  
“If Michael’s here he needs to be with us. We can’t just leave him out there!”  
“You’re right. Alright, Gavin, lead us to him.”  
By the time they’d actually left camp, Jack was ready to tear out hair. Not necessarily his own- maybe Gavin’s for being so fucking dumb, Ray’s for being so over dramatic, or maybe even Geoff’s for just generally being there. His head was pounding from the noise of three humans and three digimon all yelling at each other. At least Pichimon had stayed out of it. Though, while they turned their backs he lingered behind just a bit. Originally he had planned on asking Impmon to join them. He’d been helpful with the bird and until they figured out the Digivolution thin, he’d probably be helpful again. The digimon, however, wasn’t even looking at them. It was looking at the way they’d come from, and yelling.  
“Boss! Kuhdine! You’ve got to get yourself together! We can’t help them if you don’t even care! I know you’re worried or whatever but we’re digidestined too! You’re my partner and we need to stay with them, not fall apart and toss things!” Impmon screamed.  
When Jack stared hard enough at where the digimon was looking, he could swear he’d seen someone laying on the couch.


	7. Ryan's Curiousity

Ryan felt like he was playing the longest game of phone tag ever. He’d seen Lindsay seven times since they’d entered the digital world, and each time she had ignored his calls. It was beyond ridiculous, and even worse was that her partner Digimon refused to even give it’s name. Lopmon didn’t know it, she’d never seen that type of Digimon before. He wanted someone to talk to. Someone to explain why they were here.   
And to explain why they were chosen, when even the Digimon had been expecting children.  
Lopmon, at least, has tried to explain as best she can. They’re in the Digital World, full of Digital Monsters, and they’re the DigiDestined. People who were “Destined” to save the Digital World from virus types who were tearing it apart, byte by byte. Ryan wasn’t sure if that was the entire story though. Something about it just felt wrong. If the Digital Monsters needed this world to survive- and even to exist at all...Why would Virus types be completely destroying it? Wouldn’t that, in turn, destroy themselves?  
Something just didn’t add up.  
Talking to his once desk mate would have been great if Lindsay would just fucking stay still. Yet every time they ran into each other, she’d vanish. Somehow, she had discovered a way to leave the Digital World. He needed to find that way, find the boys, save this world- because Lopmon deserved a place to live safely- and get them home. He had no doubt it’d been quite a while since they were in the real world, but he has no idea if time runs differently here or not. If it doesn’t, they’ve been gone around 9 days since the ‘crash’. If it does, they’ve been gone a lot longer and the thought makes him uncomfortable.  
He’d rather be doing everyone’s editing work than worrying if they were even still alive in a world that clearly held no mercy for it’s folk.  
That was something he’d seen first hand. Data being deleted, absorbed, erased...Whatever you called it, it was disturbing to slowly watch what had once been a Wormmon being destroyed by an upset Garurumon. To have to do that to some other Digimon- it made him upset to say the least. It just sat wrong to think they were chosen to be murderers in some other world. There had to be something he was missing.  
Besides just the other Achievement Hunters, of course.  
On the bright side, Lopmon never leaves his side. She stays by Ryan no matter where he wanders off, and often makes him carry her. Nights, thus far, had been spent in what ever nook they could find away from prying eyes. It felt odd, if he was honest, to be stuck in a world where he had no home. Maybe this would be what it’d feel like when the zombie apocalypse inevitably came- like he’d never had a home in the first place.  
“Lopmon?” He asks one night as they sit under the stars, hidden away in a forest.  
“Yeah Ry?” She says, trying to hide herself further in his jacket.  
“What are the Digidestined up against?”  
“I told you, the evil virus Digimon!”  
“What makes them evil?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“So how do you know they are evil?”  
“I know it in my code.”  
“I see.”  
“And Leader even double checked for me!”  
“Leader?”  
“Yeah! He’s the one who told me we were destined to be partners, Ryan! He’s really kind too, and he wants everyone to be okay.”  
“Do you remember how many others were told?”  
“He talked to us all individually… I think there was 8 of us though.”  
“8? There’s one still unaccounted for.”  
“What do you mean?”  
“If the rest of the AH guys are Digidestined, there’s only 7. Why 8 Digimon if there’s only 7 of us?”  
“Are you okay Ry?”  
“Yeah. I’m fine Lopmon. Get some sleep, we’ll start our search again in the morning.” Eight chosen Digimon, seven chosen DigiDestined. One who keeps leaving the digital world somehow, and evil antagonists they literally know nothing about. Not even their names. It just wasn’t sitting right with him no matter how he thought about it. Especially considering that whoever had brought them here didn’t even bother to keep them together.  
He found Michael the next day, his partner cutting down every Digimon that crossed their path. They’d even tried to attack Lopmon before Ryan had stepped in. Both of them were on edge, and Ryan had to stop himself from chewing on his bottom lip. Drawing his own blood in thought wouldn’t help this situation any. Instead, he invited Michael to travel with him- insisting they stay together.  
It didn’t work for long. They weren’t even traveling together a full day before a DarkTyrannomon managed to separate them. Michael had run towards the forest and Ryan had been forced back towards the towns. He tried to return, but by the time they’d managed to outrun the dinosaur type, Lopmon was exhausted and Ryan couldn’t bring himself to force her to continue.  
Two weeks since he’d come to the Digital World, Ryan finally stopped moving and let himself rest for a bit, wondering if he’d manage to see any of the other Achievement Hunters again before something else deleted them.


	8. Michael's Goals

Michael didn’t give a shit where he was. He didn’t care why he was there, he didn’t care why he was surrounded by brightly coloured fucking towns that were full of blob-looking things whose voices were going to give him a fucking headache. Nor did he honestly care what being a Digidestined meant. All he cared about when he’d entered the Digital World was one thing- finding the others. After their first fight, Michael revised it as two things- finding the others and being strong enough to protect them. He didn’t want to watch them get hurt by a fucking asshole with a leather fetish.  
Salamon was his partner. That’s what he called himself, that’s what he said when he handed Michael his orange Digivice. ‘My name is Salamon, I’m your partner, and you’re DigiDestined!’. It’d taken ages to get more out of the cat-like Digimon and Michael wondered if the world thought it was funny. Probably. The world was a fucking dick after all. With no real starting point or direction, he lead them towards the brightest place he could see- a desert on the other side of the towns.  
The path wasn’t smooth. To be strong, Salamon told Michael he’d have to Digivolve. If it was anything like evolving in Pokemon, there was no way he was going to just avoid a fight. This cat needed to level the fuck up because Rookie level wasn’t good enough to protect his boys, plain and simple. Salamon had been afraid at first, and had tried to dissuade Michael but he told him straight up there wasn’t another choice. Not if they wanted to help the other Digidestined.  
It was by pure luck they ran into Ryan while fighting an Agumon. Ryan didn’t seem to like what Michael was doing- but he didn’t care. He was just happy to find one of the other god damn idiots on this stupid fucking planet that had separated them in the first place. They got to travel together for an hour- not even long enough to explain everything they’d been through to each other- before they were attacked. No matter what they tried, Salamon wasn’t strong enough to take on a DarkTyrannomon- but then it’d chased after Ryan and Lopmon and something seemed to click because for the first time, Michael watched a Digivolution.  
Gatomon wasn’t an even match for the dinosaur type. He was, however, enough to distract it to make sure that Ryan got away safely. They weren’t strong enough yet, Michael knew, but they didn’t have time because they needed to get the fuck out of there. So he took a chance- while DarkTyrannomon was aiming for a charge, Michael ran forward and scooped Gatomon up into his arms. He was faster than the Digimon on it’s own, and they needed to get out of there as soon as fucking possible.  
So he ran. Michael didn’t let himself stop until they were lost in the forest and sure that there was no one following them. His legs burned, he was out of breath, and he had no idea how long he’d been running- but it only made it even more obvious that they needed more experience. Gatomon just said he wasn’t used to his new attacks yet- that he was the same level as the DarkTyrannomon! He just needed time. Michael had to stop himself from kicking a tree, it wasn’t going to help.  
“Salamon-er..Gatomon. Whatever the fuck your name is.” Michael called, sliding down to sit with his back against a tree.  
“It’s Gatomon, partner! I was Salamon and then I Digivolved!” The Digimon answered.  
“That’s what I wanted to bring up. How the fuck did you do that?”  
“I’m not really sure. I think most of it was you!”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Well..Digimon don’t just Digivolve from fighting...We get more used to our powers that way, and there’s other…things that we can do if we win a fight to raise our power but it’s horrible and wrong. The secret to Digivolving has been lost for years now- Leader just says that’s why we need the Digidestined.”  
“So...What does that mean?”  
“I’m sorry Master. I really don’t know.”  
“My name’s Michael. Don’t go calling me Master, that sounds like we’re doing some really kinky shit.”  
“Sorry, Mas-Michael.”  
“We’ll figure it out. Until then, let’s fight our way to the others. Someone’s got to keep the lads safe from themselves.”  
“The lads?”  
“You’ll love them. Come relax for a bit, I can’t see shit in this forest so we’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”  
The night was calm, though at one point Michael could swear he’d seen a parrot fly over him. Which raised a bigger question for him- did regular creatures exist in this world? So far all they’d seen were Digimon that could talk and move. Were there regular birds? Regular cats and dogs? Were there bugs? He really, really, really hoped not. When the sun rose, he and Gatomon made their way further into the forest until his Digivice began to beep loudly at him.  
Five- no, four? Four circles and one that kept disappearing showed on his screen’s little radar, only a bit in front of him. It put Gatomon on edge so they proceeded with as much caution as they dared until they found themselves face to face with a floating green thing with black horns on either side of the top of it’s head. Gatomon got ready to attack it, Michael was ready to help her- but then Geoff’s voice rang out.  
“BabyDickmon what the fuck is wrong with you?! Where the hell did you go?”   
“It’s BabyDEEMon! BabyDmon!!!” The dragon in front of them complained. “I found friends! I think.”  
“Friends?”  
“It’s another Digidestined! They’ve got a Digivice and a Champion level Digimon!”  
“Holy shit. Keep them there, we’re on our way!”  
“Who was that?” Gatomon asked quietly, stepping back to Michael’s side.  
“That was Geoff. One of the assholes we’ve been trying to find.” Michael said quietly.   
It didn’t take long before Geoff joined them. To their surprise, however, he wasn’t alone. Jack, Ray, and Gavin were all with him. Michael started to feel horrible about leaving Ryan behind. If he’d gone back...If they’d looped around...Maybe all six of them would be together instead of just the five of them. Shit. Still, the other four seemed happy just to see him- even when he’d admitted he’d seen Ryan.  
At least they knew what direction to go and start a search for him now. They started introducing their Digimon along the way, but Ray’s reaction to him showing up was bothering him. The Puerto Rican had looked like he’d rather have not seen him, and it wasn’t right. Sure they used to be better friends but seriously, there was no fucking way Ray wouldn’t be happy to see him after being separated for...Well, however long it’d been. Michael hadn’t been keeping track of the days.  
“Now that we’ve got Michael…” Jack started quietly, drawing everyone’s attention to him.  
“What?” Michael asked, frowning slightly.  
“I need to tell you guys something. I’d wait until we find Ryan but… I’ve seen it twice now and-”  
“What did you see?” Geoff asked, voice completely serious.  
“Remember when we were fighting with Impmon? I turned around and I could swear I saw a couch.”  
“A couch?”  
“Yeah...In a living room that definitely wasn’t a part of this world.”  
“So?”  
“I saw it again just before we found Michael- someone was on it.”  
“Holy shit. Did you see who it was?”  
“I’m not sure...I thought it was Michael at first but the hair wasn’t right and he was paler…”  
“Do you think it was…” Ray started, looking alarmed.  
“If Michael’s here with us, I’m almost completely sure I saw Kdin on a couch with a controller in his hands.”  
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”  
“I don’t know...but Impmon was yelling about a boss named Kayden…”  
“You’re sure you saw this? You were fully awake?” Geoff asked, staring off at something in the distance.  
“Yeah.”  
“Shit. I think we’re missing something important, boys.”  
“You mean besides Ryan?” Gavin asked, holding his digimon a little tighter.  
“Has anyone else felt like they’ve been being watched this entire time? Yes? I thought so...If Kdin’s watching us it’d make sense why I’ve been paranoid as fuck but..”  
“How the bloody smegging hell would he be able to see us without being in here himself?”  
“I’m not sure, Gav, but we’re going to find out.”


	9. Leader's Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's waited a long time for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this isn't more main plot heavy, I'm sick.

He’d been waiting for _them_ a long time. They all had. Years upon years upon years the Viruses had been tearing apart his home as he waited. Or, at least, the lands he’d been coded into so long ago. It wasn’t like he had a choice or like he could leave them now. Not when half of his programming was specifically for him to wait for _them_. At least, unlike the damned Digidestined, he’d known whom _they_ were his entire life. So he wouldn’t have to spend hours researching the tiniest changes in code, following the dumbest fucking information, until he found _their_ name and partner.

Kdin had made things a little easier when he’d started to play the game. The boy picked exactly what he thought, and from there it was no trouble to know who would be paired with whom. The Digimon were practically made for their human partners- he’d always assumed it was part of being Digidestined. That special privilege where you’ll always have someone to match you. He’s not jealous, really, he’s just bitter from waiting so long.

Actually, he’s bitter from having believed he should wait for _them_ at all. _They weren’t_ coming. Even if he changed code after code, _they_ wouldn’t appear because _they_ weren’t like him or the Digimon. _They_ were like the **Digidestined** \- ones who weren’t directly involved because they weren’t of this world. _They_ weren’t bound to it, stuck in it, and unable to leave it because _their_ programming was tied so far into the basic code of the world that everything would fall apart without _them_. He hated _them_.

He feels pity for Botamon. It’s going to have to wait, just like he did for so long. Except there will be a happy end for it. There’s nothing for him except this same world. So he ignores the envy that rises in his gut from knowing about those who can travel and goes to gather the ones he needs. Petitmon is the easiest to sway, the little one didn’t even have hatchmates. Convincing him someone was out there, a Digidestined to call his own, was far easier than it should have been. Pichimon is harder to convince, they don’t see how the world could be in any danger. Not when everyone they’ve met is so nice. He takes them on a field trip, then tells them of their own Digidestined.

Zerimon thinks it’s some sort of game. He doesn’t care. As long as they actually get their “quest” done and hunt down the viruses. Conomon just hopes their partner understands that they need balance. PawnChessMon can’t be convinced. He doesn’t despair, talks to the KingChessMon instead, and tells a great tale of another who will come and lead away a PawnChessMon to a bigger board. When the KingChessMon hesitates, he just eggs him on with some line about how a King who can’t win with a handicap is no king at all. Easy. Yuramon is in love with the idea of a partner, Yukimibotamon loves the idea of some sort of family. Even Dodomon is up for the challenge.

Getting the Digidestined in on it is a lot harder. His head already hurts by the second conversation and he’s still got seven others to deal with. Not for the first time, he hates the _Creator_. He hates the person who put him here to wait, to guide, and to be some sort of companion to assholes who have no idea what the fuck they’re doing and could destroy the world if they don’t learn soon. After at least making sure the seven who have come in have their partners and Digivices, he takes a break for a day. He could use a little vacation spot all for his own, but all he has is a house in a firewalled location, so he lets them figure it out for a while. Though he doubts they’ll get very far.

He doesn’t move until he feels PawnChessMon’s partner return. They need one of them to really know what’s going on, and she’s the only one he’s going to be able to pull away without everyone panicking and going on a search instead of helping. So he greets her, convinces her, and prays that this isn’t for naught. All of the Digital World’s hope lies squarely on the shoulders of nine who don’t even know how to Digivolve and it leaves a sour taste in his mouth.

At least his waiting will end soon, one way or another.


	10. Ryan's Worries

“So we ran here- we haven’t been able to go back home since then.” The leading Yokomon said, frowning.

“You’ve been running for a long time then.” Ryan replied sympathetically.

“As long as some of us can remember. We miss home.”

“I miss home too.”

“Do you think we can build a new village?”

“Maybe. _Or_ maybe you could show me where your old village was. I’m sure Lopmon and I can find some way to help.”

“Really? You’d really do that for us?”

“Everyone deserves a home right?”

“Yeah! It’s this way!” The group of Yokomon seemed much more excited now and Ryan focused on that to ignore the way his mind was screaming at him about going too far from where he’d last seen Michael. They’d been separated but he _couldn’t_ hope that they’d think to search for him back there- even Lindsay was always in a different place when he saw her.

The Yokomon lead him to a village that was partially destroyed. He could hear the screeches of a flying bird and see it’s shadow, but he couldn’t place it in the sky. Whomever this digimon was, they had gone through a lot of trouble to devastate these poor Yokomon. They only looked worse now that they’d seen exactly what had happened to their home. Lopmon looked to him and he nodded. They weren’t going to leave these poor digimon homeless. There’d be a way to get the asshole one to leave. The bird finally grew closer and Ryan almost had to ask himself if he was hallucinating because it looked far less like the digital creations he’d been running into. In fact, it almost looked like a-

“That’s Parrotmon!” Lopmon whispered to him and he laughed. He just couldn’t help it. “Why are you laughing? I’m not strong enough to beat him as Lopmon!”

“Back in my world we’ve got things like Parrotmon. I was laughing at the idea of them being evil.” Ryan told the digimon, though his partner didn’t seem any more satisfied by this. 

“What do we do?”

“We’ll figure it out. We always do, right?”

“Yeah! Should we draw his attention?” 

“We’ve already got it. Are you ready to run?” 

“I hate running.”

“I know, Lopmon.”

“Hey!”

“Yeah?” 

“There’s someone over there!”

“Run towards them.”

“What if they’re with him?”

“Then we can take care of them first.”

“Okay Ryan. I trust you!”

“Thanks.” Ryan sighed as he tried to make out the figure Lopmon had pointed to. They didn’t seem threatening, didn’t seem like they were going to interfere, and didn’t seem like they were even facing the town. So they may not even have to deal them. Good. Parrotmon’s screeches followed them and Ryan started to take in their surroundings. If they could get Parrotmon to take care of himself by mistake, it’d be the safest.

“Ryan, I really don’t feel safe!”

“How powerful is this guy?”

“He’s an ultimate! I’m not even a champion yet!”

“If I knew how to fix that I would.”

“You just have to make me digivolve!”

“That’s oversimplifying! Let me just grab the digivice, tell you to Digivolve, and watch the magic happen!”

“What are you waiting for? Do it!”

“I was being _sarcastic_!” 

“I don’t know what that means!”

“It means-we don’t have time for what it means! Get behind those rocks over there!”

“Then will you try?”

“I’ll try whatever you want if you just keep moving!” He ducked behind the formation, cursing that they didn’t have any water on them. Running in the desert had not been his best idea but they needed to get out of the way. Lopmon stared at him expectantly as they caught their breath and he rolled his eyes. There was no way this would work but it had to be worth a shot- either way they’d have to fight Parrotmon in a second. His right hand wrapped steadily around his violet Digivice. Nothing happened, but Parrotmon’s screeches got louder and a Sonic Destroyer blast hit next to them. 

God, he’d do anything to have this thing fucking work.

The screen flashed. For a moment, it started to beep as three dots came on radar. Then they vanished as bars took their place. To his surprise, Lopmon actually began to change. Instead of a small plushie-looking bunny there was what looked like a rejected character from Kung Fu Panda. Turuiemon, as it announced itself as, seemed only a little more eager to fight Parrotmon than Lopmon had been. As the flying monstrosity rounded the corner, they had no choice.

“I’m still only champion. I’m sorry!” Turuiemon cried, trying to block a shot.

“A Champion is always a winner.” Ryan replied, eyes desperately scanning the landscape for any way they could get the advantage.

“I’m going to try to jump off the rocks!”

“Why?”

“Because even my amazing jump needs some help!” He nodded and a beeping from his hand stopped him from replying. The dots were back now. Orange, red, blue, green, and yellow dots seemed to be surrounding them and only getting closer. They’d be surrounded and Ryan wasn’t sure by what. Anxiously, he glanced around before putting the device back on his belt. Whatever it was, they’d deal with it. Right now he needed to focus on Turuiemon because the Gauntlet Claw wasn’t doing enough. It wasn’t nearly enough and if they lost…

“Blue Flare Breath!” A voice called and Ryan jumped in surprise as someone else joined the fight. He had to stop himself from running forward to grab Turuiemon- the new arrival was helping. The fire was causing parts of Parrotmon to glitch and Turuiemon was able to get better hits in. The new arrival wasn’t the only one, though it was the only flying dragon he’d seen. 

“Bunny blast!” Another bunny-looking one joined the blast. It’s attacks seemed to be doing less than Turuiemon, but it was something. Vines from a third source shot out and wrapped around Parrotmon just under his wings, forcing him closer to the ground. When it was barely at a hover, a small white digimon flew right at it’s eyes. The thing blew bubbles in them and Parrotmon squawked in pain as it’s sight was lost. Then a Gatomon joined them and Ryan had to hold back hope that this group was who he thought they were. After a tense few minutes, Parrotmon broke free of the vines and flew away.

Before Ryan could investigate who’d come to help them, he found himself covered in Yokomon. They were cheering about how he’d saved them. About how Turuiemon had saved them. He didn’t answer, but was careful not to send any of them flying as he started to detach himself from them. He was placing the last one down when Turuiemon yawned and dedigivolved back into Lopmon. At least they knew how to do it now.

“Holy shit. It _is_ him!” Ryan paused and looked at the new arrivals, a smile over taking his face as Michael’s voice washed over him.

“You were right. I’m sorry I doubted you.” Jack said with a shrug, the group of five moving closer.

“Oh thank Christ, I don’t know how much bloody longer I could spend searching for him!” Gavin complained, but seemed just as relieved as the rest of them.

“We’re a whole gang now. We should get matching tattoos.” Ray said.

“Remind me never to go anywhere with you assholes after this.” Geoff said and Ryan finally starting moving. He hustled towards them.

“I’m so glad to see you guys.” Ryan said, beaming as he greeted them. To his surprise, he found himself drawn into a hug by Michael.

“I’m so sorry man. I should have looped back for you.” Michael whispered. Ryan just shook his head. They’d been fine. When the drew apart, and after much teasing, they finally started to exchange tales of what they’d been through. Of having seen that Parrotmon before, and having been trying to find him. Digimon introductions went next, but there was an extra that made Ryan feel uncomfortable.

“So...If these five are your partners...Who’s the one joining them?” Ryan asked, pointing towards a bandana wearing imp.

“That’s Impmon. I _think_ he’s Kdin’s.” Jack said quietly.

“Kdin’s here?”

“Not exactly but..”

“But what?”

“I saw him. Not in the game- but on a couch. With a controller.”

“You found a portal back to our world?”

“I don’t think so. It was gone pretty much immediately, but I could swear it was him.”

“So Lindsay and Kdin are involved too…”

“Lindsay?” Michael asked.

“I kept running into her before I saw you- I could never get close enough to talk to her before she disappeared though.”

“What the fuck do you mean, disappeared?”

“Just that. I’d get close and she’d be gone, only a confused pawn left behind.”

“Shit. Sorry buddy, but it looks like we’re not done searching yet.” Geoff said to Gavin, who looked torn between concern and exasperation. 

“Whatever we do we should leave this desert. There’s no water here and standing under the sun probably isn’t helping the exhausted digimon.” Ryan swooped down to pick up Lopmon, and wondered where they’d go. They had barely figured out how to digivolve- and speaking of which, the Coredramon was dedigivolving to a Dracomon and then further to a BabyDmon that seemed to almost faint in Geoff’s arms. They weren’t ready to even start trying to find Apocalypticmon and whoever else they had to fight to save this realm. They weren’t ready to fight a Parrotmon and it set Ryan on edge like nothing else.

At least they’d almost found their entire group- it was a start.


End file.
